Press Release No. 054-03
14 February 2003
OPLE
BREAKS BREAD WITH HK-SAR & ASEAN CONSULAR OFFICIALS
HONG KONG, 13 February. – Visiting Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs
Blas F. Ople was the guest of honor and speaker of the Hong Kong-based Consuls
General of nine (9) ASEAN countries at a dinner hosted by Philippine Consul
General Victoria S. Bataclan on Thursday, 13 February 2003. Also in attendance
were high-ranking Hong Kong SAR officials Secretary Mr. Stephen Lam (for
Constitutional Affairs) and Secretary Dr. Patrick Ho (for Home Affairs).
In the course of the evening, Secretary Ople gave the assembled officials
a tour d’horizon of the region and beyond. They listened in rapt attention
as Ople, speaking off the cuff, explained the Philippine position on regional
and international issues.
He also delved into the occasional problems even amongst ASEAN members themselves,
the prospects of defusing tensions around the region and the mutual benefits
to be gained from a free and open trading system. Secretary Ople particularly
underscored the vital role being played by the ASEAN Regional Forum in addressing
security concerns most especially in South East Asia in the light of the
increasing tension in the Korean peninsula.
Taking the opportunity to address the Hong Kong SAR officials present, Ople
praised the “…the sound state of RP-Hong Kong bilateral relations and the
bright prospects of deepening and enriching the already existing close ties.”
He shared his perspectives on how Hong Kong and ASEAN can take advantage
of the vast economic opportunities that China.
“China is now the the leading engine of economic growth in Asia, and she
has much to offer particularly with the expected realization of the ASEAN-PRC
Free Trade Area in the next ten to twelve years”, Secretary Ople observed,
adding “… that there is a clear recognition of the increasing importance
of ASEAN as a regional economic partner with the expression of interest of
other countries such as, among others, India and Japan to establish similar
free trade regimes”.
Secretary Ople also thanked Secretary Ho for the various programs undertaken
by his Department of Home Affairs that benefit Filipino workers in Hong Kong.
Among these are the facilities provided by the HKSAR Government for the use
of the Filipino community including a building (the Bayanihan Center in Kennedy
Town) and other school facilities where they can hold social and cultural
activities, the publication of the “Service Handbook for New Arrivals in
English and Filipino languages and the holding of various multi-cultural
programs.